Stormers break 11-year jinx

Cape Town – The Stormers, without too much fuss or angst, have duly put the finishing touches to confirming an all-South African semi-final bill in the Vodacom Super 14 for 2010.

The Crusaders and Waratahs have to make the great trek to our shores for next Saturday’s showdowns with the Bulls at Orlando Stadium and Stormers at Newlands respectively, after Schalk Burger’s team comfortably saw off a second-string Bulls XV 38-10 in their final league encounter to clinch the runner-up slot.

It means that the country stages both semis for only the second time in Super rugby history, and the first occasion since 2007, when the Bulls beat the very same Crusaders 27-12 and the Sharks downed the Blues 34-18 to set up an Absa Stadium final.

On Saturday night the Stormers toasted not only their efficient triumph over Bakkies Botha’s uncompromising but otherwise limited Bulls “reserves”, but also the achievement of their first Newlands last-four appearance since 1999, the height of the “Men in Black” hype when the Stormers crashed 33-18 to the Highlanders after the unsettling effects of a pre-match pay hoo-ha.

With a bit of luck, there will be no such distractions this time, because they will certainly need to produce their optimum game against the Waratahs, despite the knowledge that a second full house in seven days is sure to urge them on.

Yet the portents for a dream final between the Bulls and Stormers – both at full strength this time, of course – are pretty good.

For one thing, the Stormers squeezed the ‘Tahs as though they were a mere sponge in prevailing 27-6 when the teams met much earlier in the campaign, on a hot mid-February day at the same venue where they will contest the semi.

And apart from the fatiguing effects of another long-haul flight to South Africa at the tail-end of the tournament, Phil Waugh’s team will be missing two key members of their pack this time through injury: strong loosehead prop Benn Robinson and the big, “go-forward” No 8 Cliffie Palu who tore knee ligaments a few weeks ago.

That said, the ‘Tahs appear to have peaked at a good time this year, adding some key elements of enterprise to their pragmatic, sometimes criticised game-plan.

They put the Hurricanes away quite easily in securing their own last-four spot, and afterwards Waugh specifically referred to the sparkling way former flyhalf Kurtley Beale has adapted to life at fullback – he has given them a bit of overdue X-factor in the backline.

And their chief executive Jim L’Estrange has been quick to try to pooh-pooh the travel factor, having been reported in the Australian press as saying: “(Cape Town) is similar to Sydney … it’s almost like playing at home. I’m sure the boys will be comfortable there.”

The Waratahs’ record in the city prior to their grilling this year is rather better: they drew 13-13 on a stormy May night in 2008 and also won 32-26 at Newlands in 2006.

The defending champions and table-topping Bulls, meanwhile, will not be unnerved by Saturday’s reasonably heavy reverse at Newlands, considering that the vast majority of their first-choice players were spending the weekend with their feet up, and now contemplating the Crusaders’ second visit to the Highveld in a fortnight even if it will not be to Loftus.

The Crusaders have tackled the Bulls on two prior occasions in South Africa at the semi-final stage, and been on the receiving end each time (2007 and 2009).

But they, too, have rediscovered some relish since their winless overseas tour recently and thumped the Brumbies with surprising ease to clinch their own passage to the knockout stage.

It is still difficult to imagine bookies, though, fancying away victories next weekend that would block the dream SA “north v south” final in Soweto.

The Stormers got their slightly unconventional job done in professional fashion against the Bulls at Newlands, scoring four tries to one and only really having their own try-line troubled in the last quarter when coach Allister Coetzee wisely emptied the Stormers bench to allow some vital rest for players like Andries Bekker, Francois Louw and Brok Harris.

The only prospect of a “Bulls B” upset was always likely to be if they got in front early and started to cause some butterflies in the home camp; the reverse happened as ex-Loftus favourite Bryan Habana dotted down in the fifth minute and the Stormers were basically on their way.

It was nevertheless a physical, sometimes tetchy encounter with the Bulls clearly keen to leave some bruises on a bunch of players who might just run into their “A-team” in a fortnight.

Botha, that unlikeliest of captains, got into occasional, relatively minor ding-dongs with the likes of Adriaan Fondse, Francois Louw and his rival skipper Burger, while Bulls second-row colleague Flip van der Merwe could be in trouble for a palpably late barge on Burger that left the impressive Springbok flank nursing a shoulder for a while.

Bekker also caused some consternation for the home side when he went down with what looked like an injured wrist before half-time, but he did re-appear for a few minutes after the break which presumably meant no lasting damage.

One area of worry for the Stormers, in an otherwise decent and dominant day at the office, was their scrummaging – it took strain in the defeat to the Sharks last week and again seemed to be on the back foot a tad against this makeshift Bulls combo.

The Waratahs are sure to have made a little mental note …

Sport24

Comments

Rugga - 2010-05-15 22:35

Correct. The Stormers scrum got owned by Maku and kie. Bulls even went for a pushover try at the end!

allen bradey - 2010-05-15 22:46

the ballless Bulls, what a fast, either play the game fair and square or not at all, I bet if any other team had done what the Bulls did by playnig their 3rd grade team against their own country sides team to allow a one nation final there would be hell to play from South Africa, My thoughts are I have lost respect for South African Rugby and trust that they will get just what they deserve. and thats not win a game

Leon Ross (Stormer) - 2010-05-15 22:57

The Tahs can make as many mental notes as they want. Mental notes will not secure a victory at Newlands. This was, however, a good move by the Bulls. Get the so called second stringers to "soften up" the Stormers without the fear of loosing first choice players to sitings and suspensions. Bakkies was nailed for the exact same charge in the Lions test as the one that saw him penalised for coming in from the side and semi concussing Gio Aplon. And on a referee's note: De Wet Barry's yellow card was just as ridiculous as Brian Habana's. I'm sorry but I did not see De Wet doing what the ref accused him of and Brian actually had the ball (from the intercept) but knocked it forward. At best, it should have been a scrum for the Bulls. I also do not remember Kaplan warning Schalk for any offside play by the Stormers. Kaplan definitely got his cards wrong. Besides, this Bulls team would have kicked most teams asses in this years S14. And for any Bulls supporter to deny that fact is absolutely criminal. I just wish the Stormers can put forward a "B" team to be as competative.
I can just smell a S14 final at Orlando Stadium: Bulls vs Stormers. What a game that would be.

JOKEr - 2010-05-15 23:12

@ Rugga - If we are really honest we have to admit that at the end it was not the Stormers A team scrumming - so I would not read to much into that.

Justice4 - 2010-05-15 23:38

Bakkies to get cited for dangerous shoulder charge from the side of a ruck within the first 5 min.....

@Rugga - 2010-05-15 23:40

The same way Marius Jonker owned the Crusaders last week?

Kla gespeel - 2010-05-15 23:41

Yeah sure Rugga and the whole game is about scrums hey you stupid dumb BB supporter! Same as the WP destroyed the Bulls pack in 2009 at Newlands...remember!?Now you’re A team cannot hide anymore so bring it on w@nkers! Pity the Crusaders will rob the Stormers of the chance to destroy the useless Bulls in Tshwane. Bakkies Botha is a useless idiot and should f..of to France before the 2011 WC. He is an embarrassment to any real South African.4 penalties within 12 minutes. PLEASE select him against the Crusaders so that Thorn can kick his teeth in.VD Merwe with a nice try cheap shot on Schalk but it didn’t work! Stormers 1 yellow card this season when Habana was carded. Don’t worry by next year we will have the kommin Tshwane thing out of him and he will learn to be an honest and clean player. Crusaders/Stormers final at Newlands! NOWHERE TO HIDE SPIESIE & KIE julle k@k sit vlak!

Marea - 2010-05-16 00:06

Ofcourse the Stormers won - any team would have won the largely second rate Bulls team! With this team the Bulls would have been at the bottom of the ladder! If ever there was a game that was rigged - this was it!!!! I am a S.African and I am embarrassed!

BALSAK(alias Blue Bul Hater) - 2010-05-16 06:33

As a STORMERS supporter I want to congratulate the BOYS on reaching the semi's, this is not unfamiliar to us as we've been there in 1999 and 2004. Just keep your cool guys. To the BLUE BULLS, we as SA's are behind you for the semi's, go and do us proud, we know you can do it. But please Blue Bulls ,you will understand that if both the BB's and the STORMERS reach the Final, I have know other choice then to be behind the BOYS from Cape Town. Not because I'm against a SA team, but ONLY because of my LOVE for the Blue and White HOOPS. Go Stormers and BULLS, we are behind BOTH of you on the 22nd May 2010!!!

Blue machine - 2010-05-16 06:48

Yea correct rugga bulls killed stormers scrum.Imagine what gurthro and werner will do to the stormers scrum if we meet in soweto.Spies,Du preez,Matfield and Olivier are due good performances.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blou oog - 2010-05-16 07:22

Travel back to SA will catch up to the Saders. Bulls will have their final. Hopefully the Stormers can beat the Tahs. Will be at orlando for the Bulls / Power Puff Boys game.

fuzzy - 2010-05-16 07:40

By the time that the Stormers front row started suffering they had substituted their major players and not mch can be read into that.
The Stormers have been the most complete team throughout the seasona nd it has been moments of concentration that has cost them the top spot.

Mike@CapeT - 2010-05-16 07:50

Let there be no doubt that the result would probably have been not much different, no matter what team the Bulls had fielded. The Stormers employed an open strategy using the width of the field and it is quite clear that the Bull structures cannot cope with this style of play ...note the Blues and Reds results using a similar strategy. The fact that the Stormers took their foot off the pedal in the second half and replaced all their key personnel is quite understandable...the game had been won at half time! The only thing that they strived for after the break was the bonus point, which they got! That put them clear of the Waratahs, legitimately! I wouldn't read anything into the scrum, which was not as onesided as some scribes are suggesting,,,the Stormers hardly raised a sweat in this game. If I were the Bulls, I would be a little concerned. They are not going to have it easy against the Crusaders for 3 reasons. They are not going to have the comfort of Fort Loftus (tremendous atmosphere for the home team)....the Crusaders have a point to prove, being on the end of some dubious referreeing last week....and make no mistake, Ludicrous has erred in resting his FULL team, some of the key personnel I would have understood,,,but the whole team!!!? Actually, that was arrogance, and they got what they deserved! They are going to lose momentum in the early stages of the next game! I wonder if we will get to see a Stormers/Bulls final...and I am not suggesting that the Waratahs are going to be a pushover. They will certainly be here to play rugby but I do think that they will be the easier of the two teams....'touch wood'!

STORMER - 2010-05-16 07:56

Any news on the Bakkies citing????????? And worrying about the Stormers scrum next week is a waste of energy....The Tahs scrum with Robinson out aint that flash...
I would suggest Bulls fans start worrying about their own little semi next weekend...(and it might just turn out to be true SEMI-BONER time for the spanners...)

Pietie - 2010-05-16 08:00

The Bulls are demotivated. the decision by Loftus management not to allow them to play semifinal on there own ground (Loftus) but to play in Soweto was a bad call. Loftus management do not have the voema to overrule the soccer Management.

Graham - 2010-05-16 08:05

I am sorry, but I have lost all respect for the "Bulls" - In these high profile games the teams that have been playing thru out should have been playing this game....sending a "B" team should not be allowed - it has taken the sportmanship away from the game - I hope Dan Carter and the Crusaders beat the Bulls - Crusaders (Dan Carter) give the Bulls a hiding.......I know you can do it....................

Chimsoro - 2010-05-16 08:06

See what happens when arrogance dominates..the bulls got a great hiding...in fact most games in this years S14 would have had the same result had the refs not been bias towards the bulls...after many weeks of the loud mouth empty vessels making a lot of noise I hear not ONE peep from the bulls wankers...I hope the one eyes bull supporters watched reunion on Thursday and they will see that their defence of the Crusaders game was unjustified...many man indiscretions by the ref which helped them win the game...no wonder the world hates the bulls and their supporters..no other team is disliked more by oppositiion supporters internationally, and thats because....yes you guessed right ...they don't deserve to win and they only do so by bribing...Go crusaders Go Stormers...lets her them call the stormers "Gentle breezes" again....arrogant planks

Noel - 2010-05-16 08:38

Match fixing has arrived in rugby. It does not take a rocket scientist to realise how blatant the match fixing happened in the bulls-stormers saga. Bulls field a z team and then merely arrive. Their 'play' to lose was so obvious it was disgusting. I think SANZAR should look at this closely.
As of now I will not watch any match involving either team and will cheer for the opposition every time in future.
Disgusted rugby fan

Pirate 4 - 2010-05-16 08:45

The result means nothing to the Bulls. Flip may me cited for a late charge but Fat Ricky stamped on Fudge and got away with it. The ref was 2 metres away so he couldn't possibly have seen it !!!

peebo - 2010-05-16 08:48

Bakkies the thug should be charged for assault for attempting to at least concuss Aplon.Also the late charge on Schalk was an attempt to crack or break a rib or two.
These are just two mentionable occasions which highlight the ultimate aim of this rabble they sent to Newlands.
I strongly doubt the Bulls have the ability to beat the improving Saders at Orlando.
I am also afraid to say that a repeat performance of Saturday, and the Stormers will lose to the Tahs.
I do hope for a Stormers/Bulls final, which will end all doubt as to who is SA's best this season.
GO STORMERS!!

Bakkies was playing his usual bully game, have to say, Bekker is light years ahead of Bakkies, I thing Bekker will be taking Bakkies' place in the Bok jersey.

Bull Man - 2010-05-16 10:08

Well done Stormers. Great team this year, and played some magnificant rugby, specially against the Blues, showed you are close to perfect complete rugby. Now let's hope both our teams can pull it through this weekend.I think an all South African final would be great, specially with age old rivals playing in a final. May the best team win. As a Bull supporter, I always hoped the Capetonians would get to a "come back" as the best rugby has always between between the North vs South. Good for SA Rugby.

Had our B team had just one game together beforehand, we could have taken the Stormbarians. We had the skill; what was lacking was self-belief. And Heini Adams must relax and concentrate. A knock-on by a #9 costs a team dearly. Good luck though, Stormbarians: Once you've beaten the 'tahs then you will know that you are worthy finalists. Then at the end of the tourney at least you can say, "Hey, we got into the finals."

@Rugga - 2010-05-16 11:02

Only one tiny negative point raised in the whole article and you jump on it... what a w@nker you are indeed!

Bruiser - 2010-05-16 11:10

I wouldn't read too much into the scrummaging, it only became really poor toward the end when the Argentine reserve came on. He was poor! got drukked and gave away 3 penalties I think to put the stormers under pressure toward the end.

Richard - 2010-05-16 11:39

So where are all the bulls commentators now, not even going on about THEIR B team, Crusaders to down you rotten lot next week and then a Newlands final.... sorry Bakkies, jy is nog hulle liefling

Carl Muller - 2010-05-16 12:37

What a game. Bulls gave their all. That was not enough. Let us pray it is a S A final between the Stormers and the Bulls. Hopefully it will do something else for our country than just the cool R10million /semi here.
Looking forward to the next 3 games.
May the best team win.
Bulls forever.

BULLS FOR LIFE - 2010-05-16 13:36

The Stormers think they achieved something on Saturday; you achieved nothing by beating the Bulls Vodacom Cup team. The Bulls did the Stormers a huge favour. All of a sudden these Stormers think they are the business, but without the likes of Fourie (Lions) and Habana (Bulls) you would be nowhere. So stop thinking you are all that and giving the Bulls so much attention and maybe focus on getting some of your own players form that hole you call Cape Town. The Bulls are by far the best provincial team South Africa has ever seen. Most Currie Cups, only SA team with Super 14 titles (2 titles). Why are the Stormers being so loud? You haven't won anything yet..It's going to take 20 years for the Stormers/WP to achieve what the Bulls have achieved. So get over yourselves. BULLS FOR LIFE

Emile - 2010-05-16 14:45

Excellent win for the Stormers and well deserved. They sticked to their own game plan and never got involved with the Bulls B-side stuff. I think most players in the Bulls B-side didn't realize the difference in pace between Vodacom Cup and Vodacom Super 14. The first 30 minutes of the game went past them without them knowing what hit them. The Bulls cam back well after that, but by that time the game was long gone and put to bed. It must be said that the Stormers played very well and didn't allow the Bulls to dictate in that first 30 minutes. That Bulls B-side was not a bad side and they would have "killed" the Lions and some other sides. The Stormers however showed that they have at last matured into a top professional side. One thing that did however stood out was the fact that Adriaan Fondse is not the man we all hoped would take Bakkies role after next year. Fondse was nowhere and totally overshadowed by the other 3 locks on the field. Flip van der Merwe put his hand up in a big way and was great throughout the game. Pity for his shoulder charge, but this happens in every game by all players. Wasn't actually anything big, but since Burger was involved - the issue will probably be dragged out of all proportions. Would be a real pity if he gets cited, as he really played well and tons of the same incidents went unpunished throughout the Super 14. He unfortunately caught Burger in the sensitive rib area, otherwise nobody would have even bothered. Van der Merwe really impressed me and he is generally not a dirty player at all. Just compare his shoulder charge with that of Luaki and Gittau last year! I still believe the Bulls took the right decision to send a B-side to Newlands. There was nothing in the game for them and the players need a rest. This rubbish the so called reporters writes about the Bulls might loose momentum, etc. is "bullsh1t". If the Bulls win the Semi's and Final, it is because they are truly a champion side and they played great rugby. If the Stormers win the final (against the Bulls) it is because they played better rugby in the final and they are also a champion side. Nothing to do with momentum and all this gayish rubbish. The Bulls ended top of the log and they have earned the right to rest 14 players - just as the Waratahs, Crusaders and Brumbies did in the past. The Crusaders rested their A-team this year against the Lions as well and nobody queried that. Must say, I cannot wait for an all SA final - both teams fully deserve to be in the final and the Bulls didn't do the Stormers any favours. Had the Stormers started the game with a different game plan, the score could have been much different. The Stormers played perfect rugby in the first half and by executing their game plan perfectly they "killed" the Bulls B-side before they knew what day it was. The Stormers fully deserve their 2nd place on the log.

@#$$%%$#@!@ the stommers - 2010-05-16 15:58

Arrogant bunch of numnuts,the stommers,now suddenly think they are God's gift to rugby.Shame,think again.
By beating the Bulls's c-team doesn't mean nothing,nada.
At the end of the super 14 we will hear again from the stommer fans."Check the stormers next year".Same old borring stuff.

GP - 2010-05-16 16:02

Not much said about the Bulls, Crusaders semi. The Bulls must remember that the last game against the Crusaders could have gone either way. In fact, the Bulls were lucky to win in the last seconds. Just keep that in mind and good luck to both SA teams.

Martin - 2010-05-16 16:36

@ mike@CapeT the result would probably have been much different- the Stormers on a flight to play the Warratahs in Oz! I'm not a supporter of either of the these 2 Vodacom sponsored teams (Great ad for Vodacom having 2 home semi's hmm?) but am very proud of both teams. All this hype about the Bulls fielding a B team and the other SANZAR partners being unhappy etc., this is what they've been doing for years to make sure that the NZAR edge out the SA teams from the semi's. If the Bulls fielded the A team the Stormers would surely have lost, that's taken from the comments made by Chimsoro, because the ref would have been biast, but I also believe that the Bulls would have outplayed the Stormers. How unfortunate the comments by Kaballas and Richard after the favour that the Bulls did the Stormers by sending this B team. @ Pieter Jou, geen reserwekrag? jy praat regtig snert! Watter ander francise kan so 'n span op die veld stuur wat menige Super 14 span se tande sou trek? Die Stormers het dit nie maklik gehad nie, anders sou die telling mos 85-10 gewees het. I don't care what all you experts have to say about the past weekends game, I'll be watching with keen interest next week and root for both SA teams with the hope that we'll see them in the final! Please guys, put a lid on those vile and vulgar comments! SA lets stand behind our boys, GO BULLS and STORMERS!!!!

Blue machine - 2010-05-16 17:21

People must relax watch us clean out the crusaders i went to orlando stadium and oh boy the pitch suits the bulls!!!!!!!!!!Stormers are pretenders.

dont know where you get your information, but: "The Bulls are by far the best provincial team South Africa has ever seen. Most Currie Cups, only SA......." Most Currie Cups? What the hell man, you can just google it if you want to, its there. WP 32 times, Blue Bulls 23 times. I am not good with maths but 32 is more than 23. That type of mentality shown by you is why people hate blue bull supporters. STORMERS!!!!

@BULLS FOR LIFE - 2010-05-16 19:26

Talk about "Habana (Bulls)" is a load of twak, buddy. If you want to use that reasoning I can just as easily say "Habana (Lions)" and so on until the player is traced back to his primary school. And "that hole you call Cape Town" : Ha, ha ha ha, ha ha. Sorry. Thanks for fielding the B-side, hope to see you boys in the final.

Anton - 2010-05-16 19:30

Oh your stormers cry babies, you should thank the bulls for sending a b almost c team to newlands, they will now be responsible for letting the wp union adding millions to their bank account for hosting a semi final to buy some more decent talent from much better unions than wp ,if they lost they would have earned not a cent 0, so shut up and sent them a thank you card, and see you with a wonderfull match in orlando, oh ye and for those who say we disappear of the blog after the loss to wp, we don't do small talk, lets speek again next week

ronnie - 2010-05-16 20:31

that is making fuming now stormers win a game that bulls give them on a silver platter and the stormers supporters go on if they win a s14 final wake up and smell the coffee you got 2 games to play before you can celebrate but the bulls are winning s14 final again so nothing to celebrate and allen bradey go and watch new zealand and australia rugby i dont care those cry babies from new zealand would have done the same so what are you complaining about the cup is staying in rsa anyway

Koos van die Kaap - 2010-05-16 21:36

So, what you say is that a bunch of useless players came down to the Cape. Who are the useless ones? Tiger Mangweni, Jaco van der Westhuyzen or Stephan Dippenaar? Or may be Flip van der Merwe, Bees Roux or Bandise Maku? Surely not Bakkies Botha, Jacques-Louis Potgieter or Pedrie Wannenburg? Please tell us, which players are the so-called B-team players that did not deserved a place in the Bulls team.

@ ronnie and anton - 2010-05-16 21:44

Jeez guys. That has got to be the worst english I have ever seen in my life. Did you boys go to school?? If you did you could'nt have gone very far. Grade 2 maybe? I have heard chinese speak better english. If you two are anything to go by, how can any bulls supporters be taken seriously. Retards!!!!

Stormers FTW! - 2010-05-16 21:59

First of all.. Bulls should never have beaten the crusaders two weeks ago.. with the referee in their back pocket of cors they would win.. forward pass of note!!
The Crusaders will go to Orlando and silence the arrogant Bulls..
Then the Stormers will win and the trophy will stay in Cape Town for the year
thanks hey

Stormers se moer - 2010-05-16 22:37

You Stormer supporters must not suck on that "Papsak" so much before you write your comments because they are as k@k as you team.

Loftusbaba - 2010-05-16 23:57

OK - so bulls loose to crusaders because last minute try is not awarded (forward pass) - this would have meant before Bulls Stormers game, log looks like this (1) Bulls - 44 (2) Crusaders - 44 (3) Waratahs - 43 (4) Stormers - 39. So stormers have to win with bonus point to get home semi. Must say on Saturdays performance not necessary that easy if they had to play the "A" side. Bulls "B" side owned the scrums and owned the mauls. Bulls would have only needed single bonus point to end at top. So if any further stormer supporter bitches about that try it only shows their own stupidity and shortsightedness. Bulls have done stormers massive favour, 1st by beating the crusaders and 2nd by making final game much easier than what it should have been. So to all bitching stormer supporter, save your energy, sit back, relax, be grateful and enjoy the ride.